Apprenticed after father's death?

[PaulStaffs]

According to the livery company website tha average age for apprentices was between 14 and 21,
It’s an apprenticeship for a livery company, bringing with it on completion the freedom of the city of London and the right to trade in the square mile.

Mike

Many thanks!

[Little Nell]

It is not uncommon for the apprentice's father to be deceased when he begins the apprenticeship.
Among my own ancestors, there are at least four young teenagers/boys who began their apprenticeship after the death of their father.  In one case the mother was the sponsor.

Since there would potentially be a freedom of the city available to Benjamin if he completed the full term, it might be worth looking at the Freedom of the City Admission Papers London (which can be accessed on Ancestry perhaps at your local library) to see if Benjamin is listed.  I was led there by a random entry in a county database and I found two indentures which were helpful in explaining where these country boys had ended up!

Nell

[PaulStaffs]

It is not uncommon for the apprentice's father to be deceased when he begins the apprenticeship.
Among my own ancestors, there are at least four young teenagers/boys who began their apprenticeship after the death of their father.  In one case the mother was the sponsor.

Since there would potentially be a freedom of the city available to Benjamin if he completed the full term, it might be worth looking at the Freedom of the City Admission Papers London (which can be accessed on Ancestry perhaps at your local library) to see if Benjamin is listed.  I was led there by a random entry in a county database and I found two indentures which were helpful in explaining where these country boys had ended up!

Nell

Good idea, many thanks.

[BumbleB]

"What of the trade" ?

Innholders - might that not give an impression that an apprentice might have to be a little "older" than an apprentice in other trades - shoemaking, engineering etc. 

I could, of course, be entirely wrong> 

[coombs]

You may be able to find any Freedom records on this site. London Livery records.

https://www.londonroll.org/search

I have several ancestors who did apprenticeships, some whose parents were still alive, some who were both dead or just one of them dead. I found out about a few in the 1700s through settlement examinations and cannot find an actual apprenticeship in the Duties Paid for Indentures for the years they cover, so this indicates it was a paupers apprenticeship.